Eight Minutes
by scriiibble
Summary: The last scene of Punch Drunk Love If the sun were to explode we wouldn't even know about it for eight minutes. That is how Tom felt about Sam; he was ok in those first weeks he knew her. When he felt her slipping away suddenly he saw how much she meant to him.


If the sun were to explode into a million tiny pieces we wouldn't even know about it for 8 whole minutes, because thats how long it takes for the suns rays to touch the earth. For those eight minutes the world would continue as usual until suddenly life as we knew it would be plunged into sudden panic. Thats how he felt. Sam Nicholls had waltzed into his life, and for those first few minutes his life carried on, unaffected by her. Suddenly those eight minutes were up and she had somehow wrapped him round her pinky finger and he had realised he was in love.

Tom Kent was in love. Did he want that? No. he had never been one to fall in love- and he wasnt sure he liked it. Did he want this?

That was a tough question to answer. No, he didn't want to fall head over heels for a fierce tomboy who was adamant on a 'no strings attached' relationship. He didn't want to want her so much that it hurt.

But he did.

Tom had never been so confused as he was now. Did he really love her or was it just that someone else wanted her? That couldnt be it. Some kind of male pride wouldn't make his heart stop everytime he saw her- it wouldn't twist and turn it painfully when he thought about her in another mans arms. It wouldn't have made his blood boil with animalistic rage when he saw her pinned against the wall by her throat and he wouldn't still be panicking over what could have happened if he wasn't there to help her.

Sam entered the room and he watched her open her locker- finding those love notes on her locker (which would have made him laugh if they weren't directed at Sam and her mystery man upstairs)- and mutter 'Fletch' under her breath with a shake of her head.

"You should lock it." I moved forwards and she turned towards him. She hadn't noticed him in the corner and wondered how long he'd been watching her. "That's why they call it a locker." She shot a sarcastic look his way and he carried on. "What a day." he sighed. "Do you fancy a drink?" he tried to make it sound casual, hands in his pockets, but he really wanted to talk to her. They needed to talk about their relationship- although he was starting to doubt that there ever really was one.

"No, sorry." she pulled her coat around her slight frame and flicked her hair out from under it. "I'm beat."

He hesitated slightly before realizing that she was going to leave if he didn't say something- stop her. "I didn't like seeing you in trouble like that."

Her reply was typical Sam style. "Yeah, well, don't worry about it." like being pinned against a wall by the throat is no big deal. "I'll live."

Something about her words irritated him. Didn't she see what could have happened? How badly things could have gone wrong and how-

"I didn't like it when I saw you with Mr. Nobody" he continued, unsure of where he was going with this.

"Well, that's called male pride. You'll get over it." She replied and began to walk out. He panicked. Somehow he knew that if he let the girl he loved leave the room, she wouldn't be coming back. not back to him, anyway.

"Well, you see, that's what I thought at first but that's not it because…" he swallowed. "You see… I didn't like seeing you with him because I want to be that one who takes you to the opera. I want to be the one that looks out for you. That keeps you safe." Tom looked across at her with pleading eyes, begging her to understand. She turned to face him, with a look that mirrored his own.

"Why?"

Oh yeah. He was ready for this. He smiled. "Because.. I don't want no strings attached anymore. I actually want lots of strings. All of them attached to you.?"

"Why now? Because somebody else wants me?"

He looked at her honestly and took a step forward. "No Sam. I would not do that."

Her smile was sad as she turned away and left the room.

Tom left the room only seconds after her.

He quickened his pace as he saw her about to leave, and she turned around when he was inches away from her. They both moved at the same time; she tilted her head up to meet his lips. The brief kiss was ended when she pulled away to say something that Tom didn't understand before he pulled her back into a passionate kiss.

And never would he let her go again.

tom this isnt going to-


End file.
